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THE FOUNDATION OF THE INTERNSHIPThe Individualized Learning PlanThe Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) consist of activities the principal would naturally perform such ashandling discipline, hiring staff, conducting school report night, establishing a school website, forming a criticalfriends group to study student work, conducting a book study group, providing staff development, etc. These arebut a few examples. Assuming responsibilities for such duties could be acceptable projects for the intern.Internship Projects1. Interns must create six projects for their ILP. Each standard should address one of the six RISELstandards integrating the ISTE standards wherever appropriate.2. Projects have several purposes:a. To make an impact on actual performances such as: Effective and engaging use of applicable technology by students, teachers or administrators. Increased student learning and achievement. Closing the performance gap among populations (special education, second languagelearners, racial and/or ethnic groups, etc).b. To learn a skill or competency needed to succeed in the principal position such as facilitation ofgroup processes, strategies for engaging parents or community stakeholders, managing schooloperations (i.e. finances, scheduling, safety and response protocols), developing innovativeprograms to address local or state mandates etc.c. Projects may serve multiple purposes and meet both criteria as described above.3. Description of the project should include the intern's role, interactions, meetings, preparation andplanning strategies, research conducted, products produced, and other details pertinent to the specificproject.4. Clear identification of the standards addressed by the project with a strong rationale as to how the projectmeets the standards. Each project should focus on a primary standard with corresponding elements andindicators. Although the project may have secondary connections to other standards, being specific willfocus the work of the project.5. In-depth reflection should prove serious thought to specifics of the project. This is the most significantsection of the project. The Rubric for Reflection (Appendix J) provides a detailed description of criteria:for exemplary reflections: clarity of focus, relevance, analysis, connections, and self-appraisal.6. Attachment of documents that support the implementation of the project.7. A reference section when appropriate.8. Close attention should be given to the Rubric for Writing (Appendix K) for all written documents andprojects.1

Evaluation of the Internship ProjectsThe approved projects, as identified in the ILP, will be evaluated based on the following criteria: The level of leadership demonstrated through the project using the gradual release model for leadership,i.e. observing, participating, initial leading, independent leading. The quality and depth of the experience/project as measured by the Rubric for Self-Reflection. The level of written communication as demonstrated in the project as measured by the Rubric for Writing. The quality of supporting documents. The clarity and correlation of the project to the identified RISEL standard/elements/indicators and to theISTE standards.2

Field ExperiencesAll interns must be exposed to the range of school districts and school levels throughout Rhode Island.Experiences in settings that are culturally, linguistically and economically diverse, and significantly different fromthe intern’s home schools, are critical to broaden and deepen the total intern experience. Interns are encouraged tobe creative in discovering activities outside of their “comfort zone”.The ten required diverse field experiences will reflect the feedback received during the coursework portfolioreview. Interns will be expected to visit, observe, and interact with leaders in a variety of situations and events.These diverse encounters may extend into additional authentic performance-based experiences. Interns areexpected to complete five field experiences per semester totaling approximately 50 hours outside their owndistrict.The program director maintains a list of available “principal-partners” in school districts that have agreed to hostinterns throughout their internship. Interns are urged to use these contacts to gain experiences before, during, orafter school hours, such as: Shadowing the principal for a day Assisting and planning school report nights with a principal Attending, organizing and assisting with parent nights/meetings Organizing school-wide activities held outside of the school day Becoming a “thought partner” with a principal to brainstorm specific topics, situations, or initiatives overtime.The above are only suggestions. Principals and interns may develop other activities that will enrich and enhancethe interns’ overall experiences.Field experiences require approval by the clinical supervisor.Interns will write reflections for all all field experiences using tmust be reflected upon and verified using the FieldExperience form. (Appendix G) These reflections must be submitted to the clinical supervisor.3

CONTINUOUS ASSIGNMENTSReflective PracticeReflection is a major component of the program and a skill utilized by all effective leaders. To benefit from allinternship experiences, interns must understand reflective practice and develop the habit of reflection. Thefoundation for reflection should be well established in coursework.Reflection is the key to continuous learning and facilitates growth by accomplishing the following: Expands awareness, understanding and insights Makes connections between theory and practice Generates new hypotheses Provides opportunities to think deeply about events, discussions, meetings, feedback and other learninginstances Develops skills in application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation (Bloom’s Taxonomy provides a basis forthe type of questions to ponder and to practice reflection at the level expected of all s/blooms-taxonomy/#)Guidelines for Reflection The significant part of the reflection is always the growth and/or change that has taken place in a person. The incident, situation or observation (i.e. who, what, where, when and why) that precipitated attention isnot critical in and of itself. Minor details about the incident are not necessary. A clear and concisedescription of the event is sufficient. Effort should focus on analyzing the personal behaviors or observations, what went well and what did not,and what knowledge grew out of the experience. The text School Leader Internship 4th edition lists additional guiding questions on page 145. The Rubric for Reflection (Appendix J) specifies the criteria for exemplary reflections.To prepare for developing and demonstrating reflective practice, interns will read the following from the text,School Leader Internship (4th edition): Reflection in Action, pages 105 – 110 Essential Competences for Leadership: Theory into Practice, pages 126-144 Sample Case, pages 181-186 Rubric for Reflection in Appendix JPersonal Reflective JournalInterns develop the habit of reflection by keeping a personal reflective journal throughout the internship.Journaling accomplishes the following: Documents yearlong activities Demonstrates growth in ability to handle situations, to understand human behavior from differentperspectives, to recognize the complexity of issues, and to relate and synthesize experiences with theknowledge gained through reading and prior course workRequirements for the Personal Reflective Journal The journal may be documented in a medium of choice and agreed to by the intern and clinicalsupervisor. The journal is periodically reviewed throughout the year by the clinical supervisor. One reflection per week is required. Since a semester is 15 weeks, each journal will have a total of 30reflections per year (one each week for two semesters). The personal journal is confidential unless the intern chooses to share it with someone other than theclinical supervisor.4

Biweekly Reflection/Analysis of Essential Competencies of LeadershipReflecting on experience, on what happened, requires that other peoplebe involved in the learning. There is a need to verbalize and unpack thegiven circumstances of an event. What happened? What may need to bedone differently in the future? Otherwise, one risks repeating the samemistakes and missing the meanings of one’s experiences, instead oflearning from them. (Martin et al. 3rd ed. p 107)In addition to the personal journal requirement, interns will write a second reflection every other week. This is the“biweekly reflection/analysis”. What makes the biweekly reflection/analysis unique is its focus on the EssentialCompetencies of Leadership. (Appendix H) Be prepared to discuss the biweekly reflection/analysis at thefollowing seminar. It is essential for discussions to be confidential in order to learn from real life situations.Confidentiality is critical and a must when reading other interns scenarios and reflections. The ability to maintainconfidentiality is key to developing trust--an essential competency of leadership.Guidelines for the biweekly reflection Choose a leadership event not reflected upon in the personal journal. Refer to Essential Competencies of Leadership: Theory into Practice (pages 126-144) to identify theleadership competencies that were or were not demonstrated in this event. Analyze these competencies using the analysis questions (pages 126-144) for each applicablecompetency. Document the analysis and reflection of applicable skills/competencies. (Refer to sample on pages 180186.) Refer to the Rubric for Reflection for criteria. Clinical supervisors will determine the schedule and method for submitting the biweekly reflection.Log of Hours and ActivitiesThe intent of the Log of Hours and Activities is twofold:1. To record and correlate all leadership activities/experiences to the RISEL Standards.2. To verify the amount of time spent on the above activities/experiences. A minimum of 250 hours persemester is required (500 hours total).Logging all activities and the time spent developing and executing these experiences is imperative. Interns willuse the provided Log of Hours and Activities program to generate the following: List of activities for each RISEL Standard, Element and Indicator Number of hours spent on each RISEL Standard and Element Percent of time spent on each RISEL Standard Total number of hours completed during the internship (verification of the 500 hours) Graphic representations of each of the above indicators of achievementProfessional ReadingCurrent reading and research in the field of education are essential for life-long professional growth.Understanding the theories, thinking, and concepts of leaders in the field of education and administration providethe principal with a sound foundation and a basis for connecting theory and practice.College supervisors will assign a minimum of two books per semester. Personal requests by interns will beconsidered if applicable to a specific need or interest.5

The format for book critiques follows:1. A brief summary of the text (one or two paragraphs)2. An in-depth written reflection: What did you learn? What could you do with this knowledge? What impact has the reading had on your leadership style?3. Conclusion that addresses the following question: What RISEL Standard does this text best represent and why?4. A completed Coursework Cover Sheet. (Appendix F) Part Three of the form is not necessary if addressedin the text of the critique.6

ONGOING ACTIVITIESSeminarsInterns are required to attend seminars held by the clinical supervisor on a weekly basis. These seminars willfocus on the following: Discussions of the submitted biweekly reflections Presentations and discussions by distinguished administrators e.g., recent graduates in administrativepositions, special education or curriculum directors, distinguished principals, selected topics.Observations of Intern’s PerformanceThe college supervisor visits each intern a minimum of twice each semester at scheduled times so the intern andthe clinical educator are prepared and available. Visits will occur when interns are actively engaged in leadershipactivities as specified in the ILP and are not restricted to school hours. The college supervisor will conferencewith the intern and clinical educator following the visit and provide constructive feedback about the observation.College supervisors will observe interns in leadership roles such as the following: Conducting or assisting at the presentation for School Report Night Leading and/or co-chairing the School Improvement Team Leading a faculty group in the discussion student work using a specific tool or protocolInterns are responsible for arranging these visits well in advance to avoid conflicts. Both clinical supervisor andclinical educator must agree to the date, time, and purpose of the observation. Many of these events cannot berescheduled. Following this protocol is extremely important to facilitate close collaboration among all partiesinvolved in the internship and to ensure that interns regularly receive continuous feedback regarding theirperformances from both the clinical educator and clinical supervisor.Educational RoundsVisits to diverse districts and school levels will occur throughout the year long internship, i.e. two semesters.Educational rounds will consist of three visits at each school level (elementary, middle and secondary) and at eachof the three geographical locales (urban core, urban ring and suburban)--total of nine visits.The protocol for the series of rounds at each level follows:1. A school level will be selected.2. Interns who work at the selected schools will be responsible for arranging and leading tours of theirschools with their clinical educators (principals).3. A brief discussion will be held at the end of each tour.4. A future seminar will be held to compare and contrast diversity and equity issues discovered during thevisits to the three schools at the three distinct locales.5. An additional seminar hosting distinguished principals from the selected level of the three locales willfocus on the distinct competencies and unique skills needed to lead their schools successfully.7

STRAND III: CULMINATING EVALUATIONSPraxis: School Leaders Licensure Assessment (SSLA)All interns are required to take the Praxis Exam/ SSLA/ prior to graduation. The RI Department of Educationrequires a score of 166 on the SSLA to be eligible for K-12 Administration Certification.Comprehensive PresentationThe purpose of the presentation is to demonstrate the intern’s level of proficiency in meeting the RISEL standardsand will occur during the final 4-6 weeks of internship. Each intern will apply research and theory to resolve aproblem in practice, that is, a problem within the intern’s current school setting. This improvement plan willinclude an evaluation component to measure the success of the proposed strategies. Each intern will make a 45minute engaging presentation to a team of three professors using technology of choice. The problem selection willnot be limited by the parameters of the intern’s current role or authority to implement the plan.Guide for Creating the Comprehensive Presentation Definition of the problem1. Brainstorm areas that need improvement in your school.a. How do you know it is a problem?b.How is it effecting student achievement?2. Select one specific area from your list of ideas that needs improvement in your school based on thefollowing checklist:3. The problem area is clearly connected to student achievement (Describe the connection if it is notreadily apparent.)4. The problem is clearly defined.5. The problem is of sufficient scope for this project.6. Cite the data that support this selection ( NEASC, PARC, RICAS, NECAP, test results, surveys). Usemultiple data sources to support the need for change. Multifaceted Improvement Plan1. Think about specific strategies to ameliorate the problem. Reflect upon coursework, readings,discussions and texts that will help in formulating the plan. Review the RISEL Standards, Elements,and Indicators and decide which ones are relevant to the development of a solution. The solutionmust be supported by the knowledge, skills, and competencies acquired during the program.2. The improvement plan should include the following:a. Connections to RISEL and ISTE standards, coursework, research, and readingsb. Identification of all areas in the school’s environment that are affectedc. Consideration of factors that are unique to this schoold. Identification of barriers and constraints that need to be overcomee. Specification of all involved constituents in the community and a realistic plan to communicateand collaborate with them Evaluation Plan1. Is the final goal/vision clear?2. How will a person know that the solution is working? Is the data used to evaluate the plan clear andappropriate?3. What benchmarks demonstrate success? Are benchmarks clear and measurable?4. What mechanisms will be set in place to sustain this positive change?The Comprehension Presentation (Appendix L)A. Content of the presentation will be assessed on the following:1. Number and types of sources used to substantiate the problem8

2.3.4.5.Amount of relevant research and theory incorporated into the planSound rationale and strong connections to the RISEL and ISTE standardsApplied knowledge and skills from courseworkCriteria applied from the Rubric for Writing (Appendix K)B. Effectiveness of the presentation will be assessed on the following:1. Problem is clearly stated.2. Solution plan is organized and presented clearly and concisely.3. Evaluation plan is organized and presented clearly and concisely.4. Effective presentation media is utilized including the appropriate useof visuals and handouts.5. Eye contact is appropriate.6. Reading during the presentation is limited.7. Appearance of the presenter is professional.8. Criteria applied from the Rubric for Oral Presentations.(Appendix I)The Internship PortfolioThe Internship Portfolio should include the following:1. Documented Projects: Include the six major projects.2. Log of Activities and Hours: Summative Assessment of RISEL and ISTE Standards3. Field Experiences Reflections4. Vita: Revise Vita reflecting all leadership experiences performed throughout the Graduate AdministrationProgram.5. Concluding Paper: Self-assessment and Reflection: At the end of the internship, each intern shouldthoroughly review his/her experiences throughout the year and substantively reflect upon them. Use allartifacts such as the Reflective Journal, projects, written papers with feedback. Recall situations: adviceand conversations with clinical educator and clinical supervisor, deliberations with colleagues and

Graduate Administration Program Handbook for Internship 2017-2018 Providence College One Cunningham Square Providence, RI 02918-0001 Dr. Brian McCadden - Dean, School of Professional Studies Dr. Diane DiSanto - Director, Graduate Administration Program (401) 865-2881